Amalgamator



Au 16,1938. D, E 2,127,418

AMALGAMATOR Filed July 3, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet l A iiorneys In 0e n tor'Au 1s, 1938. m LE 2,127,418

AMALGAMATOR Filed July 5, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 pzmpmu Aug. 16, 1938. J.MILES 2,127,418

AMALGAMATOR Filed July 5, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I I 1 a /6 s O 2 2' o 95 Inventor Aug. 16, 1938..

J. D. NILES 2,127,418 AMALGAMATIOR Filed July '5, 1957 4 sheets-sheet 428 50 I Inventor A iiorneys Patented Aug. 16, 1938 UNITED srares ATENTOFFICE AMALGAMATOR John 1). Niles, Elk City, Idaho Application July3,1937, Serial No. 151,917

4 Claims.

as the same is rotated to cause any of the precious metal laden mercurywhich might be discharged with the pulp to adhere to the plate forreclaiming the same.

A further object is to provide an apparatus of this character of simpleand practical construction, relatively inexpensive to manufacture andmaintained in operation, efficient and reliable in performance andotherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View through the apparatus.

Figure 2 is a top plan view with the upper portion of the feed pipeshown in section.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on a line 33of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on a line55 of Figure 2 and showingone of the riiiles.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the bottom of the bowl or vessel.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, whereing for the purpose ofillustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention,the numeral 5 designates a frame which includes bottom frame members 6of substantially square shape, said bottom frame having an inner annularframe I connected to the bottom 6 by braces or arms 8. The frame alsoincludes upstanding frame members 9 connected by top frame members Ill.

The annular bottom frame member I is formed with an inwardly extendingflange II, the upper surface of which is grooved for receiving a set ofball bearings I2 upon which an annular carriage I3 is mounted forrotation. The upper surface of the carriage is provided with a ring gearM' operatively engaged by a pinion l5 driven by a shaft [6 extendingfrom the frame and operated by a suitable source of power.

Braces l1 extending upwardly from the carrier i3 and have their upperends extended inwardly for fixedly attaching to a mercury bowl or vessell8, said vessel being suspended from the bracket within an opening 19formed in the center of the carrier as will be apparent from aninspection of Figure 1 of the drawings.

A removable bottom 20 is threaded in the lower walls of the vessel, saidwalls tapering upwardly and terminating in an internally threaded neck Atubular discharge pipe 22 has its lower end extended within the neck 2|of the vessel, said pipe being externally threaded as at 23 intermediateits ends'for threaded engagement with the neck. The tubular member issecured in threadedly adjusted position by set screws 2 3.

Adjacent the upper end of the tubular pipe 22 is fixedly secured ahorizontal annular plate 25 having a down-turned outer edge 26 formedinto a trough 21 extending entirely around the edge of the plate. Theouter edge of the trough terminates on a plane below the surface of theplate to permit pulp to spill from the trough into an annual launder 28.

A plurality of riffles 30, formed of copper strips are secured withinthe bottom of the launder 28, said launder also being provided with a.discharge chute 3| at one side thereof.

A plurality of socket members 32 are formed on the upper surface of thebottom 20 of the vessel within which legs 33 are inserted formed on thebottom of a feed pipe 34 extending vertically in spaced relation fromthe walls of the pipe 22 into the vessel "3, said legs serving tosupport the bottom of the pipe above the bottom of the vessel. The upperportion of the pipe is supported in vertical position within a ringmember 35 connected to the upper frame members ll], said ring memberalso forming a raceway for a set of ball bearings 36 to facilitaterotation of the feed pipe. To the upper end of the feed pipe istelescopically fitted a funnel or hopper 31 secured in position by setscrews 38.

The frame members Ill extend radially from the ring member 35 and areprovided with hinge members 39 from which arms 4|] are suspended, thelower ends of said arms having skimmers 4| attached thereto by a pin andslot connection 42 to permit vertical adjustment of said skimmers. Thelower edge of the skimmers are positioned in cooperating relation withthe upper surface of the plate for a purpose as will presently beexplained. The outer ends of the skimmers overlie the trough 21 and areprovided with depend ing spaced apart agitator pins 43 which enter thetrough to agitate the pulp therein.

In the operation of the device the Vessel or bowl I8 is supplied with aquantity of quick silver or mercury and the ore is fed into the funnelor hopper 3! and mixed with the mercury where the precious metal isextracted. By reason of the rotation of the carrier I 3 and vessel l8the pulp is forced upwardly between the pipe 22 and pipe 34 where it isdischarged over the upper edge of the last-named pipe onto thesilver-plated copper plate 25. The Skimmers 4| cause the dis chargedpulp to come into close contact with the surface of the plate to causethe adherence thereto of any particles of precious laden mercurywhichmight be discharged with the pulp. The pulp is then discharged intothe trough or launder 28 and discharged from the machine through thechute 3|. The ore which amalgamates with the mercury may be removed byremoving the bottom 20 of the vessel and the supply of mercuryreplenished.

It is believed the details of construction and operation of theapparatus will be readily understood from the foregoing without furtherdetail explanation.

Having just described the invention what I claim. is:-

1. In an amalgamator, a rotatable carrier, a vessel adapted to containmercury and having a discharge upstanding neck, a removable bottom forthe vessel, means supporting the vessel in a suspended position from thecarrier, a feed pipe leading to the vessel legs on the lower end of thepipe supporting the same on said bottom -and maintaining the lower endof the pipe in concentrically spaced relation in said neck, and ahorizontal rotatable plate arranged for receiving pulp discharged fromthe vessel.

2. In an amalgamator, a rotatable carrier, a vessel adapted to containmercury and having a discharge upstanding neck, an upstanding dischargepipe adjustably mounted on the neck, a removable bottom for the vessel,means supporting the vessel in a suspended position from the carrier, afeed pipe having its lower end positioned in the vessel and extendingupwardly in spaced relation from the wall of the discharge pipe, legs onthe lower end of the pipe supporting the same on said bottom andmaintaining the lower end of the pipe in concentrically spaced relationin said neck, and a horizontal rotatable plate secured to said dischargepipe below its upper edge and arranged for receiving pulp dischargedfrom the vessel.

3. In an amalgamator, a rotatable carrier, a vessel adapted to containmercury and having a discharge upstanding neck, an upstanding dischargepipe adjustably mounted on the neck, a removable bottom for the vessel,means supporting the vessel in a suspended position from the carrier, afeed pipe having its lower end positioned in the vessel and extendingupwardly in spaced relation from the wall of the discharge pipe, legs onthe lower end of the pipe supporting the same on said bottom andmaintaining the lower end of the pipe in concentrically spaced relationin said neck, and a horizontal rotatable plate secured to said dischargepipe below its upper edge and arranged for receiving pulp dischargedfrom the vessel, a trough at the outer edge of the plate having arelatively low outer wall, and a launder positioned outwardly of thetrough for receiving the pulp therefrom.

4. In an amalgamator, a rotatable carrier, a vessel adapted to containmercury and having a discharge upstanding neck, an upstanding dischargepipe adjustably mounted on the neck, a removable bottom for the vessel,means supporting the vessel in suspended position from the carrier, afeed pipe having its lower end positioned in the vessel and extendingupwardly in spaced relation from the wall of the discharge pipe and ahorizontal rotatable plate secured to said discharge pipe below itsupper edge and arranged for receiving pulp discharged from the vessel, atrough carried by the plate and extending around its outer edge saidtrough having a relatively low outer wall, a stationary skimmeradjustably mounted in vertically spaced relation with respect to theplate and agitators carried by the skimmer and positioned in the trough.

JOHN D. NILES.

